American Historical Ephemera and Photography

1 ledger, 600+pp preceded by 24pp alphabetical client index, 8 1/2 x 13 in., leather covered boards with faint ink at front center "No. 6." Identified on interior "Book No. 6 August 1853." Primarily contains entries of a business and accounting nature spanning, ca 1853-1870s, but with scattered war-date entries documenting ongoing tensions in the region and coffins purchased from Kerr's business for both Union and Confederate soldiers.

During the Civil War, Winchester, Virginia, was a strategic location highly valued by both Confederate and Union forces. It is believed to have changed hands more than any other Confederate town, an estimated 70 times during the course of the conflict. John Kerr's account book reflects this in an exceptionally unique way. War-date entries document the purchase of coffins for both Union and Confederate troops by regimental officers and surgeons, as well as by the "York Hospital," "General Hospital," and "Jordan Hospital." Page 426 records purchases of coffins by the Quarter Master of the 13 Massachusetts Regiment and the Quarter Master of the 1st Brigade Maryland Regiment. Page 450 records more than 100 coffins purchased by "The Confederate States" from September through December 1862. Entries sometimes identify deceased soldiers by name and regiment as on page 470, "Jan 15th one Coffin & Burial of T.H. Collier Co. F / 50 Ga Vol Order G.W. Magruder Assistant / Surgeon in Charge." [Not located in HDS, possibly Private T.A. Collier, Co. G, Georgia 50th Infantry.]

Other war-date entries document the arrival of troops, the purchase of crutches, and renting rooms in his building to both Confederate and Union officers as occupying forces settled into the city: Index, "The Federal Troops Enter the Town of Winchester March 12th 1862." -- p.403, "1861 at $25.00 per Month per John Glaze Q.M. for Militia." -- p.402, "Rented to Genl Carson the Front Rooms Novr 6th / 1861 ...." Possibly Confederate James Harvey Carson, Virginia militia and CSA Army. -- p.460, "Gen. George H. Stewart [sic] / Comd [Commenced] Rent of Front & Back Rooms, Second Flore / 1862 Novr Monday the 10th at the rent of Twenty-five / Dollars per Month Amount of Bill $100." Gen. George H. Steuart was a Confederate Brigadier General. -- p.426, "1862 Rented to Lt. Keephart the stone house on Braddock for Nine Dollars, per Month, from this date April 26th 1862. Q.M. 84 Reg Penn Vols." Likely 1st Lieut. J. Miles Kephart, 84th PA Infantry. -- p.446, "Sept 25 12 pair of Crutches, at 75 cts a pair, J. William Walls."

John Kerr's 17 November 1875 obituary in the Alexandria Gazette indicates that "Mr. Kerr was the son of a Scotch merchant, and was born in London, where he learned the trade of a cabinet maker. He emigrated to the United States, settling in Winchester about the year 1825." Kerr became a naturalized U.S. citizen in 1855 at which point he was already a well-established "Cabinet Maker" (1850 U.S. Federal Census) in the Winchester region. Kerr's prosperous business was located at the northeast corner of Loudon and Boscawen Streets in Winchester. Upon his death, Kerr's will directed his trustees to dispose of this property "in such a manner as they deem most expedient for the education of the poor white children of Winchester" paving the way for the John Kerr Public School to later be established. The John Kerr Papers, including two account books, are housed in the collection of the Handley Regional Library, Winchester-Frederick County Historical Society.